Don't just blame Brexit for jobs going abroad

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Britains largest automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover is reportedly set to announce it will cut up to 5,000 jobs from its UK workforceCredit:
Christopher Furlong

It’s become almost customary for companies to blame business troubles on Brexit. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is a case in point. The company has been vocal about Brexit for some time, and when it announced up to 5,000 layoffs in Britain it cited the resultant uncertainty. But there have been downturns in global car sales (JLR sales in China fell by nearly 50 per cent in recent months); diesel has become a controversial fuel in the wake of the VW emissions scandal; and JLR’s products are expensive, thus susceptible to market changes.

Moreover, while cutting jobs in the UK, the company has created up to 3,000 new positions in Slovakia, a deal that has been sweetened with state aid worth £111 million...